BIO129, SURVEY - Bioe 129L Stella Villegas Seasonal...

Bioe 129L Stella Villegas Seasonal variation of Megaptera novaeangliae in the Monterey Bay in 2003-2004 and coastal upwelling Introduction Survey cruises are important in constructing a framework for species migration, foraging, and mating behavior in relationship to climate and oceanography over determined periods of time, and are key in their conservation as they help determine human impact on marine mammal populations. The data from these survey cruises focus on the distribution pattern of Megaptera novaeangliae (humpback whale) from Spring 2003 to Winter 2004. In general, humpback whales migrate from higher latitudes in summer to lower latitudes in winter (Witteveen et al 2006). In the Monterey Bay, they primarily feed on the rich zooplankton levels that result from coastal upwelling (Croll et al 2005). I hypothesize that the distribution patterns of humpback whales are seasonal mainly as a result of varying number of food availability from May through January. Materials and Methods

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0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 May August November January Number Observed Humpback Whale Baird's Beaked Whale Blue Whale Gray Whale The survey cruise data was obtained and conducted by the Wind to Whales Project from UCSC, using a line transect model, where two observers

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